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In an especially historic season of spring interoperability training, Trojan Footprint 22 (TFP22), the flagship exercise of 2022 for United States Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR), took off across NATO's eastern flank. The largest special operations forces (SOF) exercise in Europe to date ran 2-13 May with more than 3,300 participants from 30 nations taking part in joint training across Southeastern Europe, the Baltics and the Black Sea Region.

"One of our priorities is building resilience against adversary efforts to undermine democratic processes and values," said Major General David H. Tabor, Commander of Special Operations Command Europe¹. "This joint, combined training in Europe will continue to build and strengthen those relationships with our Allies and Partners, establishing a common sight-picture for combat and peacekeeping missions abroad."

Trojan Footprint 22 is SOCEUR's premier exercise and the primary SOF certification event to assess the readiness and ability of SOF to counter threats. In addition to certification, TFP22 is about transatlantic solidarity. It demonstrated the participating nations' commitment to defence along NATO's eastern flank. The two-week exercise increased integration with conventional forces and highlighted the professional skill sets of land, air and sea units to respond to hybrid threats through discreet theatre entry and exit. As an exercise in coalition building, TFP22 and its regional exercises focused on cultivating trust and developing lasting relationships that promote peace and stability throughout Europe.

"Special operations forces remain a pillar of international defence and close coordination between SOF and conventional forces acts as a force multiplier, leveraging the discreet capabilities of SOF to enhance lethality and dominance on the battlefield," Tabor said. "SOF elements add capabilities, technology and strength to conventional forces throughout Europe."

U.S. SOF proactively trained with and learned from NATO Allies and European Partners from the High North to the Adriatic Sea to demonstrate their collective military readiness to deploy and respond to any crisis that may arise.

U.S. Navy SEALs prepare to launch a maritime boarding operation with the Lithuanian combat divers service, or KNT. The SEALs and the KNT worked together closely during Exercise Flaming Sword 20, Lithuania’s annual special operations exercise. Flaming Sword allows Lithuanian and allied special operations forces to practice countering hybrid threats while improving their ability to work together in times of crisis. Photo by U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Rodney Walker

As part of Trojan Footprint, Lithuanian Special Operations Forces led exercise Flaming Sword 2022 (FS22), the largest multinational exercise in the Baltic Region, which was in its 10th iteration at the time. Approximately 1,300 SOF soldiers from 15 nations participated in FS22, combining unit operations in a hybrid warfare environment. Lithuanian SOF provided tactical and operational level training for all participants, strengthening cooperation among military forces with interest in the Baltic Region.

In the High North, cooperation between NATO Allies takes on great significance, and that cooperation was maximized during exercise Flaming Sword. Sergeant Major Nicholas P. Atkins, the Operations Sergeant Major of 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), noted that as the global environment changes and more emphasis is placed on great power competition, it becomes more imperative to strengthen existing relationships with NATO Allies throughout the Baltic Sea Region. "Cooperation between 1-10th Special Forces Group and our NATO Allies in the Baltics is critical to successful deterrence against adversarial aggression throughout the region," he said. "Stability in the Baltic Region accomplished through multinational cooperation is critical to maintaining the global commons; it enables lines of communication, global commerce and power projection that is imperative to the resolve of the region."

Finding a way to better integrate both SOF and conventional components in the Baltic Sea Region was an important priority of Flaming Sword and Trojan Footprint. Creating an environment in which SOF and conventional forces across multiple nations can learn from each other accomplishes TFP22's objectives; force multiplication and incorruptible solidarity that is capable of standing up to any threat.

SOF are widely known for their ability to adapt to situations and environments with little notice, and they bring those capabilities to training with conventional forces. According to Atkins, current and future conflicts within U.S. European Command's area of operation require a joint, interagency, intergovernmental, multinational and commercial (JIIM-C) approach to combating extremely capable adversaries. SOF are well versed in the JIIM-C arena, making them a critical asset to enhancing the readiness of conventional forces. They often advise or assist at echelons well above their own, underscoring their relevance and value in the current and developing battle space. "The current operational environment is often described as volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous [VUCA]," Atkins explained. "SOF is uniquely capable of understanding and operating within the VUCA environment due to the level of maturity and professionalism that is inherent in the individuals selected and trained to join the SOF formation. In the past few months, we have had numerous SOF personnel attend training on specialized systems, not organic to SOF units, to provide critical training to partners and allies throughout the region."

The objective of Flaming Sword 22 was to practice deterrence and possible defence plans, as well as strengthen the interoperability among the Lithuanian, Allied and Partner Special Forces in ensuring the security of the Baltic region. The Lithuanian Special Forces emphasized that FS22 communicates a message of its own: that soldiers of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces, Allied and Partner forces, other service of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, state authorities, representatives of city councils and civil society are united when it comes to enhancing the security of Lithuania and the Baltic Region.

Service members from Spain, Lithuania and Poland Special Operation Forces board a ship at sea for maritime warfare training during Exercise Trojan Footprint 22 in Lithuania, May 3, 2022. Trojan Footprint is the premier Special Operations Forces (SOF) exercise in Europe that focuses on fortifying military readiness, cultivating trust and developing lasting relationships which promote peace and stability throughout Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Stanford Toran) 

A member of U.S. Naval Special Warfare Task Unit Europe (NSWTU-E) guides a host nation MEDEVAC air asset on final approach to conduct a hoist at sea during Exercise Trojan Footprint 22 in Lithuania, May 3, 2022. Trojan Footprint is the premier Special Operations Forces (SOF) exercise in Europe that focuses on fortifying military readiness, cultivating trust and developing lasting relationships which promote peace and stability throughout Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Stanford Toran)

"FS22 participants share a common interest and goals, one of which is a secure environment for all of our countries," a Lithuanian spokesperson said. "The objective of this year's exercise FS22 is to plan and conduct non-Article 5 Operations with allied and partners nations in the Baltic region."

Numerous training goals were executed from the Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC) level all the way down to the Task Unit (Operational Detachment Alpha, or ODA). Atkins described interoperability as one overarching objective of integrating multi-lateral and NATO plans while developing relationships and capabilities across all nations. "At the C-SOCC level, we were focused on developing meaningful relationships at the operational and tactical levels and gaining a thorough understanding of each other's staff processes and command and control techniques," he said. "At the ODA level, we were focused on exchanging tactics, techniques, and procedures while developing joint standard operating procedures (SOPs) across a broad range of operations."

Accomplishing these goals between so many nations was not without challenges. One specific trial Atkins described was limiting factors with information systems as Allies prepared to carry out operations. However, seeing how all participating nations overcame the natural barriers of a multinational exercise validated NATO's larger mission. "Flaming Sword brought 15 nations together for the common goal of developing interoperability and understanding," he said. "We absolutely accomplished this objective despite early technical issues that were rapidly resolved by the outstanding information system managers represented by several nations. All participating nations displayed an amazing, shared ability to plan and conduct complex operations despite language barriers, equipment differences and varying SOPs across the C-SOCC and Task Groups."

Further north, a SOF operator from Estonia who is a veteran TFP participant spoke to the value of multinational cooperation in training exercises as complex as TFP 22, such as the operational trust and cohesion that is strengthened between members of the participating nations. During TFP 22, his team conducted multiple direct-action raids against role players acting as separatist cell members. The goal of these drills was to gather intelligence that would enable further operations while working with U.S. SOF counterparts. Having seen all the TFP exercises that have taken place in Estonia in 2016, 2018, and now 2022, he reflected on how it has changed over the years and continues to fortify the bonds of the participants. "The three times I have been a part of this exercise have all been a bit different but at the same time equally challenging," the Estonian operator said. "Trojan Footprint provides an excellent environment to practice and synchronize training goals from the Special Operations Task Unit level up to the highest international levels of command. We practice special operations and unconventional warfare with our friends, who will also be here in case of a real crisis or conflict."

1 Maj. Gen. Tabor relinquished command of U.S. Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) on June 2022 to Maj. Gen. (Select) Steven G. Edwards.